Kitchen Planner?

HooCanTellMee

Hi to All,
I have been wanting to plan and replace my kitchen, I would like help! Anyone out there know the easiest way to get the best layout. I wouldn't want to make any structural alterations. I don't want to spend a fortune, and would like to do as much work as possible myself. Obviously not trades, but I can dismantle old unit and fit them myself. I am sure a professional planner would make better use of space than I would, but a what cost? Also any idea how long the kitchen would be out of commission if it was completely gutted, I would love to start with a clean slate. Whoever built the extension did so on a low budget, and it shows.

ormus

ikea has a free planner.

nifferwilko

You can also visit wicked or b&q or magnet who have kitchen planners in store who'll help you plan your kitchen for free. Obviously they do this so you'll buy their products, but there isn't any obligation to. You just need to say in the shop (at the end of the planning) that you need to take the plans home and visulise how it'll work in the space. Obviously you'll be buying your units from somewhere so why not go to all three and see what each of the planners come up with.
Ikea units are a slightly different size to most uk kitchen units (something to keep in mind when using the planner) but you can also save the plans online then go into an ikea and one of their kitchen planners will take a look and offer suggestions.
When you measure your room, measure at three heights and use the smallest measurement.

nifferwilko

You can also visit wicked or b&q or magnet who have kitchen planners in store who'll help you plan your kitchen for free. Obviously they do this so you'll buy their products, but there isn't any obligation to. You just need to say in the shop (at the end of the planning) that you need to take the plans home and visulise how it'll work in the space. Obviously you'll be buying your units from somewhere so why not go to all three and see what each of the planners come up with.
Ikea units are a slightly different size to most uk kitchen units (something to keep in mind when using the planner) but you can also save the plans online then go into an ikea and one of their kitchen planners will take a look and offer suggestions.
When you measure your room, measure at three heights and use the smallest measurement.

CyCo_2

Any designer, who has any common sense, wont release plans without a deposit

HugoSP

CyCo wrote: »

Any designer, who has any common sense, wont release plans without a deposit

Erm, OK, whatever?

The two posts above that one are good advice.

Any DIY kitchen supplier will be happy to spend some time with you on their computer etc. You can ask for a few different ideas etc and take the plans home with you.

Alternitively you could do what we do. Get some squared paper from a stationers. Graph paper will do provided it's not log paper. The squares need to be equal size. I managed to get some graph paper that our workplace were chucking out and we use it for this very purpose.

1) Work out a scale to use - say 1 small square equals 100mm or so

2) Draw out the room to scale on a sheet of paper.

3) Draw out your units on another sheet and cut them out

4) Put bluetak or similar on the back of your 'units'.

5) Arrange them to give you the best layout.

6) When you've got a couple of ideas, go into a kitchen shop or diy store and ask them to replicate them, just so you know it works and also have a look at 3D images etc.

In actual fact, it might even be easier than that.....

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/templates/content_lookup.jsp?content=/content/inspiration/help_me_to_design/index.jsp&menu=default

http://www.wrenkitchens.com/online-kitchen-planner

http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/HomebaseStaticPageSecondLevel?langId=-1&storeId=20001&includeName=HBCustomerServiceArticles/kitchenplanner.htm

...and that was just 3 found on Google!

CyCo_2

HugoSP wrote: »

Erm, OK, whatever?

Erm, Yes.

I am a kitchen designer and have been for many years.

You want to sit down and do a plan, no worries at all. I'll design you your dream kitchen, with as little or as much input from yourself as you please. I'll then show you it in 3D and amazing technicolour.

You want to take plans away? That'll be £500 please and if you come back and buy it, I'll knock the £500 off the price of the kitchen.

Why should I waste my time and skill planning a kitchen, just so they can walk out of the showroom and give it to someone from a competitor? Someone who does give it away for free, has a severe lack of common sense and obviously too much time on their hands.

ryder72

I second CyCo. I am a designer and we dont give plans away without a financial commitment. I have seen plenty of plans from the sheds, Magnets etc and they are almost always rubbish.

You get what you pay for.

Innys

kmdesign wrote: »

I second CyCo. I am a designer and we dont give plans away without a financial commitment. I have seen plenty of plans from the sheds, Magnets etc and they are almost always rubbish.

You get what you pay for.

I asked a kitchen designer from a small independent to prepare me a design which turned out to be utter rubbish too.

She'd stuck a dining table right in the middle of the path between the entrance to the kitchen and the exit to the garden, after I'd told her I wanted that space left clear for "traffic".

Plus, the cost she quoted was exactly the amount I had told her in advance would be the budget - what a coincidence.

Finally, the prices she quoted for the appliances after her "discount" were cheaper through places like Appliance City when I checked on the 'Net.

Not surprisingly, they won't be getting business and I'm beginning to think that maybe I should have gone to a shed instead.

fred7777

CyCo wrote: »

Any designer, who has any common sense, wont release plans without a deposit

Perhaps that's true for an independent designer but any designer from B&Q, Wickes or Homebase will give the plans away. Their business model is different as the designer is ultimately there to sell the stores products (used in the designs) rather than sell designs.
In my personal experience fitting a new kitchen the independent designer was no better than B&Qs designer but it was a small kitchen in a flat with limited options. For a larger more expensive kitchen with more options the skills of an independent designer may be of more use.

CyCo_2

fred7777 wrote: »

Perhaps that's true for an independent designer but any designer from B&Q, Wickes or Homebase will give the plans away. Their business model is different as the designer is ultimately there to sell the stores products (used in the designs) rather than sell designs.
In my personal experience fitting a new kitchen the independent designer was no better than B&Qs designer but it was a small kitchen in a flat with limited options. For a larger more expensive kitchen with more options the skills of an independent designer may be of more use.

But I don't work for an independent. I work for a large chain.

No matter who the company is, their business model is exactly the same - to make as much money as possible. 9 times out of 10, if you give plans away, you've already lost the business!